The present invention relates to the field of personal audio equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel management method and system for managing broadcast and recorded music. Particularly, the present invention relates to the field of automobile audio systems.
With conventional audio systems for listening to broadcast and recorded music, a user can listen to whatever is being broadcast by the various radio stations in his or her area. Alternatively, the user can play a musical recording from a compact disc. (CD), cassette tape or other recording medium, for example a mini disc (MD) Most conventional personal audio systems, including automobile audio systems, provide both a tuner for receiving radio broadcasts and a recording media deck for playing one of the various types of recording media, e.g. CDs, cassette tapes, or MDs. Frequently, the recording media deck is a tape or disc changer which can hold a number of different tapes or discs and allow the user to select, access and play any one of the tapes or discs housed in the changer.
However, these conventional systems have a number of drawbacks. For example, a listener never knows what is being broadcast and when by the various radio stations he or she can receive. Something that the listener very much desires to hear may be broadcast while the listener is tuned to a different radio station or while the listener is playing a tape or disc instead of listening to the radio.
Additionally, if the listener desires to hear a particular work, but does not have a recording of that work, the listener will simply have to wait until he or she happens to be listening to a radio station which decides to broadcast the desired work. Obviously, it may be a long time before this coincidence occurs. This is particularly likely to happen if the listener is in his or her automobile and has access only to the limited number of recordings in a changer rather than his or her full library of recordings.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that allows a listener to better manage reception of broadcast audio and playback of audio recordings. This need is particularly great in the automobile environment,
It is an object of the present invention to meet the above-described needs and others. Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for managing broadcast and recording audio so as to provide the greatest possible flexibility in allowing a listener to hear what he or she desires. It is an additional object of the present intention to provide such a method and system that are applicable to the mobile requirements of an automobile.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows or may be learned by those skilled in the art through reading these materials or practicing the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved through the means recited in the attached claims.
To achieve these stated and other objects, the present invention may be embodied and described as an audio management system for managing broadcast and recorded audio works. The system includes a programming guide unit for receiving radio broadcasts and a media manager unit, controlled by the guide unit. The programming guide unit includes a graphical user interface for controlling the system. The media manager unit includes a media deck for containing and reading at least one recording medium, such as a CD. Preferably, the graphical user interface includes a touch-sensitive, display.
Under the principles of the present invention, the programming guide unit receives and displays a broadcast schedule of audio works to be broadcast by local radio stations. The schedule may be received via wireless radio broadcast or over a wireless link between the guide unit and the internet.
Preferably, the media manager unit also includes a memory unit in which data can be stored by the system. When a broadcast item is selected from the schedule with the guide unit, the guide unit records the selected item in the memory unit as it is broadcast
The media manager unit also preferably includes a transceiver such that data may be input to the media manager through the transceiver and stored in the memory unit Preferably, the transceiver is a wireless transceiver. The input data may be an audio file or contextual information associated with a particular recording medium in the media deck.
The programming guide unit may also wirelessly access the internet to download audio files. These downloaded audio files may be played as an audio data stream or stored in the memory unit of the media manager unit.
The system of the present invention may be used as a portable or home audio system, but is preferably used as an automobile audio system. In such a case, the media manager unit is connected to the programming guide unit with a friction fit connector so as to be readily disconnected. In this way, the media manager can be removed from the automobile so that data can be input through the transceiver. The media manager unit may include a second user interface for controlling the media manager unit when disconnected from the programming guide unit.
The present invention also encompasses the method of making and implementing the system described above. Particularly, the present invention encompasses a method of managing broadcast and recorded audio works with a system that includes a programming guide unit for receiving radio broadcasts and a media manager unit, controlled by the programming guide unit, for containing and reading at least one recording medium. The method includes displaying graphic or pictorial information about the at least one recording medium in the media deck of the media manager unit with a graphical user interface of the programming guide unit. The method continues by controlling replay of the at least one recording medium with a touch-sensitive display of the graphical user interface.